Vfd On An Hf 12 X36 Lathe

I am looking into installing a 2hp 3ph AC motor controlled by a VFD on my HF lathe. Has anyon here doe that?
If so what are the pitfalls and do you still use the gears for speed control and if not where did to set the speed to in order to control the RPM from the VFD?

I don't know specifically about a HF 12x36, but in general you would still use the gears for large speed changes and fine tune with the VFD. In most cases you would want to run the VFD between 30 and 90 Hz.

Thanksd Jim
I decided that I dont really need the VFD on my lathe. As a hobbyist fine tuning the rpm is not worth the expense of the conversion.

You're HF is probably similar to the Grizzly model. There was a recent conversion for a G4003G posted. As Jim outlined, there is a 3 fold speed range within any gear, so more than just fine tuning, as it allows one to adjust the speed as you are working over a wide range. The bigger picture, if you read the G4003G conversion, is that there is a very significant improvement in finish and significantly less vibration going to 3 phase. The VFD adds controlled acceleration and braking, and a number of other programmable options and safety features. In general, many people that do the VFD conversion wish they had done it earlier. That being said, it depends on what you do and you're needs.

I'm putting a vfd on my 9x20 lathe when I get all the pieces together I will take some photos

I use a VFD on my mill. My 12x36 uses a 2 HP 240V motor - if I could afford to switch to a VFD and 3 phase motor, I'd do it. As Ram said above. I can hit the E-Stop on the mill and the spindle will stop in under .5 seconds. A lathe spinning a good size chuck will likely need a braking resistor to go with the VFD to help stop that much spinning mass.